


The Bodyguard

by EverShadow



Category: Women's Soccer RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-01-31
Updated: 2013-05-28
Packaged: 2017-11-27 15:19:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,538
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/663505
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EverShadow/pseuds/EverShadow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU. Following a dangerous attack, Hope Solo's manager decides that the best way to protect the star goalkeeper is to hire a bodyguard to follow her around while the assailant is still on the loose. The problem is, the bodyguard isn't exactly what Hope imagined she would be.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

 A car rushes by her, at least 10 mph above the speed limit. Hope’s manager, Matthew, has to grab her arm and pull her back with his one good arm, until her back slams into his chest, to protect her.

“Watch it!” He yells, angrier than he intends. It’s more concern that fuels his rage but Hope shoves him away with a furious retaliation.

“Dude, seriously, the guy was just blind!” Hope snaps. Matthew stares after the car, not moving until it disappears behind the next corner. His shoulders relax just a little and he runs his fingers through his thinning hair.

"Since your assault, I'm not going to take any chances." Hope rolls her eyes and throws her arms up in frustration.

"That was _one_ time!"

"It was a targeted assault! You can't just dismiss that people are out to get you. Look at what he did to me!" He raises his arm cast up to her face She sighs again and stared across the road, waiting for the light to change so she could get into her car and retire into her condo. It had already been an exhausting day, on top of the incident the day previous. It is amazing how one controversial comment against a popular opposing player could result in an angry attack from some idiot fanboy. She can’t even remember what the comment was, just a pointed response to an equally hurtful dig about her goalkeeping skills.

"I'm serious. You are the number one search all over the internet right now. People are fuming."

"Let them." Hope replies. The light turns green and she starts walking across the street. Matthew scrambles to follow her long strides. "As long as I keep her from scoring, isn't that what you pay me to do? Forget everything else."

"If someone breaks your arm for insulting Brandi, you can't do your job." And then, more seriously, "he's still out there."

"You stopped him once." Hope says, unlocking the door to her car. The image of a tall, thin man in a white sweatshirt leaps to mind. She shudders a little when she thinks of his cold hands around her mouth and throat. "He's not going to come back."

"I'm not going to take that chance." Matthew replies as she gets into her car. "I've requested a bodyguard for you until he is caught." Hope catches the word "bodyguard" right as she closes the door and she flings it back open again.

"Excuse me?" Her eyes widen and her face reddens with embarrassment and anger. " _Bodyguard_?!"

"I am not taking any chances, not while I’m out of town and unable to keep an eye on you. But your sponsor want to meet with me, and I need to get surgery, so I’ve got no other choice." Matthew says firmly. "I gave him your number, he should be calling you sometime tomorrow and setting up a meeting with you. Make sure you're available."

"And if I don't make myself available?" Hope levels her gaze with him. Normally Matthew caves in, but not this time. This time he brings his BlackBerry up and waves it in front of him.

"You make yourself available to one bodyguard or I hire three more." He warns. Hope narrows her eyes, the threat of firing him hot on the tip of her tongue. But Matthew continues his unrelenting stare and Hope slides back into her car.

"Fine." She slams the door in his face and speeds off, narrowly missing his foot by an inch.

~**~

Hope splashes water on her face and lingers over her sink for a while. She rubs her face with one hand and heaves an exasperated growl of discontent. Matthew meant well, she tries to convince herself, but he can also overreact like no other. She grabs a towel and wipes her face dry. When she gets to her neck, she pauses a moment when the white of her towel contrasts with the dark bruises right below her chin. The man in the white hoodie pops into her brain again and she brings the towel down onto the sink slowly. She tried her best to pretend that the incident doesn't affect her, that she is fine, but the memory is still so fresh and traumatic. She throws the towel across the room and storms out of her bathroom. The lights are all on in her condo, and she sinks into her sheets, double checking with her eyes that all the doors and windows are locked.

She normally sleeps in the dark, but the lights offer some sort of security. _Maybe a bodyguard won't be so bad._ She thinks as she sets her alarm. But the image of a huge burly man following her around, watching her every move, being in the same room at all times makes her just as uneasy.

~**~

She waits a whole day but hears nothing from her new bodyguard. Without anything better to do, and uneasy in her own condo for fear someone might break in, she wanders downstairs to the local bar where she perches on a barstool and continues waiting. She constantly checks her phone, thinking maybe she’d missed it. She bites her nails, nervous, and is unsure why the thought of a bodyguard makes her so anxious. It’s almost as bad as a blind date, with similar worries. What if he tries to do everything for her? What if he’s overprotective? What if she can’t get time by herself? _What if he’s boring?_

Suddenly her phone buzzes and she quickly checks the text to see if it was Matthew telling her that her assailant had been caught, and the whole bodyguard thing had been called off. Instead, it was from an unknown number, and all it says is, “I’m ur new bodyguard. Where r u?” Atrocious grammar and spelling aside, Hope’s nerves stand on end. She texts the address of the establishment back and also where she is sitting, and orders another beer. The alcohol calms her down a little, and her eyes flit to the door every few minutes. She absently texts Adrian, her ex-boyfriend turned good friend and before she knows it, she asks him to come as well.

The door to the bar opens, and Hope looks up, thinking it may be her long awaited bodyguard. Instead, a short, freckle faced, thin framed girl walks in. Hope checks her watch. It’s been well over an hour since she last texted, surely, no matter where in the city her bodyguard came from, she would’ve been here by now.

Hope is just about to turn back around and take another sip of her beer when the girl who just walked in approached her. For a second, Hope’s hairs stand on end but the girl smiles, and for some reason it calms her completely.

“Hope? Hope Solo?” The girl asks. Her eyes look around to see if the name sparks any interest, but the bar is so crowded and loud that it was likely no one heard.

“That’s me...” Hope replies cautiously. The girl grins and sticks out her hand.

“Hi, my name’s Kelley O’Hara. I’m your bodyguard.” Hope blinks because that's all the reaction her surprised brain will allow. This five foot five stick of a girl is her bodyguard? She tries to imagine this girl taking down anyone.

“Uh...there has to be some mistake.” Hope says, trying her best not to offend the girl. “I kinda expected...”

“They assigned me to your case.” Kelley fishes around inside her jacket for something, and when she finds what she’s looking for, a letter, she hands it over to Hope for inspection. Hope reads it aloud.

“Kelley Maureen O’Hara, on the 31st of January, is hereby assigned to serve and protect Hope Amelia Solo for an indefinite amount of time, until the contract is terminated or the danger has been sufficiently removed. Under the following conditions, Miss O’Hara will accompany Miss Solo as the client sees fit. Should the service be terminated early, prior to the assurance of safety of Miss Solo, the Lloyd Protection Agency will assume no responsibility of any injury, damages, or death of the client from the moment the contract ends.” Hope scans the rest of the letter, mostly outlining legal matters and terms. Kelley smiles and waits patiently for her to finish. But the letter does nothing to alleviate Hope’s confusion.

“Bodyguard, as in, you protecting me from harm?” The situation, if anything, seemed reversed. Hope looked more the protector than Kelley did but her skepticism does nothing to deter Kelley.

“Hey, I may not look like much, but I’m definitely up for the job.” She flexes her muscles, which, while defined, still did nothing to reassure Hope that this girl was going to stop any guy over the age of 18. She opens her mouth to protest that there still must have been some mistake when the door to the bar swings open again.

A man in a white hoodie stands in the doorway and trains his eyes on Hope.


	2. Chapter 2

The whole bar goes quiet for a moment. The white hoodie makes Hope's body lock up in place. Kelley takes one look at Hope's face before she turns on her heel and charges towards the man.

"Don't!" Hope surges to her feet but it's too late.

"Back off buddy!" Kelley shoves him back with all the force she can manage. It's only out of surprise that he even takes a step back. Adrian is by no means a big guy, but Kelley bounces off him as if he were a linebacker. If it hadn’t been so amusing, Hope would’ve fired her on the spot.

“Kelley, Kelley stop!” Hope shouts but Kelley rebounds.

“Don’t worry, I got this.” She says, redoubling her effort. She makes another half-intimidating, fully baffling attempt to lunge at Adrian. Hope’s hand shoots out and grabs her by the shoulders. She’s surprised, actually, by her strength because it takes all of Hope’s to pull her back. The girl has leg strength, if not arm strength. She puts herself between Kelley and Adrian.

“I order you to stop.” She snaps. Adrian’s eyebrows shoot up.

“Order?” He asks, completely confused by the whole incident. Kelley eyes the two of them, not comprehending the situation.

“He’s a friend.” Hope says and instantly Kelley’s demeanor changes.

“Oh.” She says before breaking out into a grin like she wasn’t just trying to break his arm. “Hey, nice to meet you, I’m Hope’s bodyguard.” She sticks out her hand for him to shake and he does so tentatively. His eyes never leave Hope and his silent inquiry into what the hell was going on made Hope cut Kelley off.

“Let’s get a drink and I’ll explain.”

~**~

Kelley paces the length of the bar, checking out the window, peering out like some paranoid girl looking out for her ex-boyfriend. Hope, in the meantime, watches from her bar stool with a strong whiskey in one hand. Adrian smiles at her when she ducks behind him a little as Kelley turns around.

“Bodyguard? Her?” He asks, half laughing.

“I know, I know. It’s ridiculous.” Hope groans. Adrian sips his beer and shrugs.

“I mean, your manager has the right idea, just...not the right implementation.” He scans over the contract in his other hand. “Maybe you could call them up, tell them they sent the wrong person. She looks more like a babysitter than a bodyguard.”

“I plan to call first thing in the morning. If I’m going to get a bodyguard, then I’m at least going to get a decent one.” Hope replies. Kelley sweeps the bar one more time, eying up the latest elderly couple that dared enter her premises. Hope takes a large swig of her drink and Adrian, who has seen all sides of Hope, simply smiles and gives her the contract.

“At least she’s fun to watch.” He offers.

“Yeah, like a fucking baby.” She waves down the bartender for another drink and he approaches with a surly look on his face.

"Do me a favor and tell your friend to stop that." He scowls. "She's scaring the other patrons."

"Another whiskey." She barks. When Kelley swings close, Hope grabs her and plants her into a bar stool right next to her.

"Stop it." She hisses. "You are embarrassing me."

"I'm _protecting_ you." Kelley corrects.

"You can do that without pacing like an expectant father." Hope counters. "Subtlety is the name of the game. You're making it very clear that I'm here." Kelley frowns and crosses her arms angrily.

"I know how to do my job." She huffs. _Do you? Because I have zero confidence in your abilities._ Hope releases Kelley's arm, hovering above her skin in case she was going to bolt up and start making the rounds again. Kelley stays in place and leans against the bar, displeasure written all over her face. The drink slides down her way and Hope reaches for it before Kelley intercepts it. Hope realizes what she is going to do a second before she does it and she snatches the glass from Kelley's hand.

"It could be poisoned!" Kelley yells, reaching for it again. Hope takes no chances and downs it before Kelley can get to it.

"Listen, OK? Tomorrow I'm going to call your boss and tell her that there's been some big mistake." Hope snaps. "I don't need a bodyguard, and I sure as hell don't need one like you." She wishes she had been more sober because the words just slipped out of her mouth and each one looked like a punch to Kelley's gut. She immediately regrets it when Kelley's expression drops like a stone.

"You...you're firing me?" She whispers. Adrian has to stifle a laugh and Hope elbows him in the side hard.

"Look, I just...it's not you." She lied. "I just don't see the need..." She sighs and runs a hand through her hair. She’s unable to meet Kelley’s eyes, but she can see the light glint off of them with unshed tears. _How can a bodyguard be so fucking sensitive?_ She wonders. “Look, I’m just tired, can we go back to my place?” Kelley nods and by instinct looks around. Hope turns to Adrian and all of a sudden it’s like she hasn’t slept in days. Her whole body feels exhausted.

“I’m really sorry about all of this.” She apologizes. Adrian shrugs.

“No big deal. We’ll catch up some other time, yeah?” Hope leans in for a hug and a kiss on the cheek. She starts for her wallet but Adrian waves her off. She mouths a quick thank you and then turns back to Kelley.

“Alright, let’s get out of here.” She says. Kelley wordlessly follows her out of the bar and to her car. She’s feeling a little tipsy, but not enough to deter her from driving. Kelley obediently gets into the passenger seat and buckles up like a kid who had just been scolded. Hope turns the radio up, so as to deter any conversation. Kelley tries anyway.

“So...what happened to you that you needed to hire me?” Hope immediately wants to reply that she doesn’t need anyone, much less a kid who knows just about as much about bodyguarding as she does being a baseball player but she bites back the words.

“Some guy tried to kill me.” She waits expectantly for the inevitable “why?” but Kelley draws her knees up to her chest. “Feet off the seat.” Hope chastises and Kelley extends her legs.

“That sounds pretty scary.” Kelley replies.

“It was. But my manager saved me and here I am.” Kelley chews her lip and plays with the glove compartment.

“For what it’s worth, I’m going to do everything in my power to keep you safe.” She promises. An odd feeling swells in Hope’s chest and she realizes it’s trust. When Kelley makes that promise, she actually believes that this girl, who can’t even shove a man a single foot back, would do everything to protect her. It’s a feeling that shuts her up for the rest of the ride back to her condo.

If Kelley had been depressed or at all sad in the car, the minute they enter Hope’s apartment, her eyes widen like plates and her mouth drops.

“You live _here?!_ ” She demands, scurrying around the place, checking out her artwork, her TV, and her rooms. Hope throws her coat on the coat rack and grabs a glass of water from the kitchen while Kelley searches the apartment, more out of curiosity than actual inspection. Once Hope finishes her glass, she starts for her room.

“I’m going to bed.” She announces. Kelley nods and makes a move to follow but before she can get even a toe in the door, Hope slams it in her face.

“That’s cool. Safer if your door is locked anyway.” Kelley shouts from the other side. “I’ll stand vigilant here all night.” Hope flops face down onto her bed. In the other room, she can hear Kelley occupy her couch based on the creaking of leather. She doesn’t even bother to kick off her socks or jeans, her whole day has just been so exhausting. And it all started with Kelley O’Hara.

 _Tomorrow_ , she thinks. _I’ll get this whole mess sorted out and she won’t be in my way anymore._ But as her eyes droop closed in a manner of seconds, she realizes that it’s the first time she’s been able to sleep in the dark.


	3. Chapter 3

The fire alarm rattles Hope awake first thing in the morning and she startles to her feet. Her hands fumble to find her glasses and she charges out of the door. When she sprints into the kitchen, she finds Kelley on a chair desperately fanning the smoke away from the fire alarm.

"Morning!" She says casually and apologetically. "Sorry for waking you..." She gestures to the burnt pancakes sitting on the table next to ones who apparently did not suffer the same fate. "I made breakfast!" Hope groans and flops down on the couch.

"I'm barely awake one minute and my head already hurts." She laments into her hand. Kelley shuffles over with a plate of chocolate chip pancakes arranged into a smiley face, and a cup of coffee.

"Caffeine withdrawl?"  Hope laughs dejectedly but the smile on her food matches the grin on her bodyguard's face so similarly that she can't bring herself to say Kelley was the cause. She takes her first bite and marvels over the taste. Kelley may not have been a very good bodyguard but damned if these weren't the best she's had. She's through her third bite when the brightness outside catches her attention. Her eyes widen and she stares at the clock sitting on her wall. 8:47 AM.

"Kelley, please tell me you changed the clocks in my house."

"I don't think so..." Hope throws the plate onto the coffee table and scrambles to get her phone.

"WHY IS MY PHONE ON SILENT?!" She has three missed calls from her coach and seventeen from various teammates.

"You were sleeping so peacefully, I...I figured..." Hope whirls on Kelley and there's actual fear in Kelley's eyes when Hope advances on her. Hope's face turns hot and red and she thinks of choice words to call Kelley. Her phone goes off just as she reaches her and she quickly goes to answer it.

"I'm so sorry, Brad. I'm so sorry. My alarm didn't go off, yes, I'm on my way. Yes, I'm so sorry again." Hope manages to apologize four more times before she hangs up. Kelley cowers by the sink, doing the dishes and trying not to look Hope in the eyes. Hope glowers at her for a second longer, doing her best not to scream at Kelley to get out of her house, before she remembers that she's already over an hour late.

"I have to go to practice." She snaps and gathers her duffle bag. Kelley dejectedly follows her, hands in pocket and eyes to the ground.

*

Kelley follows Hope all four blocks to the field and to her credit at least picks up her gaze to keep a look out for suspicious persons. Hope ignores her the whole way, choosing to listen to her pump up mix to get her ready. She jogs, and Kelley admirably keeps up the pace. Her proximity irritates Hope and she just wants to be as far away from Kelley as she can manage When Hope starts sprinting, she expects to outpace her hopeless bodyguard, even with a duffle bag slung over her shoulder. Kelley surprises her by running alongside as if she were out for a casual jog.

 _At least your fitness is adequate_. Hops thinks sarcastically of her persistent human shadow. The team is in the middle of a break when they reach the field and Kelley falls behind, choosing to stand near the fence instead of flush against Hope's hip as per usual.

"I am so sorry!" Hope shouts to her teammates. Her coach intercepts her and immediately reems her out in front of her peers. Kelley sags against the fence and kicks at the chain links. Trouble doesn't even begin to describe her problems.

She doesn't realize that she's staring until her eyes start to water from not blinking. Hope transforms into completely different on the field full of self-assuredness and emitting a steady, calm confidence even with strikers bearing down on her. She is magnificent to watch as she barks commands and sails through the air with power and grace unique to Hope. It doesn't take a lifelong fan to see the player everyone looks to for guidance, it certainly doesn't take long for Kelley to realize how amazing Hope is.

"Big fan of the Reign?" A voice next to her says. She turns her head and greets a blond woman with a bright smile and a very pregnant belly.

"Huh? Oh, no. I'm just...I'm here for Hope." The woman blinks in surprise.

"Are you a friend?" She asks.

"Not really, I'm her bodyguard." Kelley offers a hand to the woman. "Kelley. Kelley O'Hara."

"Amy Shilling." Amy takes her hand. "I used to play with Hope before..." She gestures proudly to her stomach. Kelley gapes and smiles. This woman could not have been much older than she was.

"Congrats!" Kelley says happily. "Do you know the gender?"

"Hopefully a daughter. I want to teach her soccer." Amy strokes her swollen stomach lovingly. They talk a little, idle chatter that is barely coherent due to Kelley's fixation with Hope. Eventually the two settle into an awkward silence, with Kelley wondering where Hope learned to fly like she did.

Hope forgets about Kelley entirely until they have a moment to breathe and drink water. When she catches sight of her standing next to Amy, all the endorphins from practice drain from her system.

"Sorry coach, gotta make a quick call." She says grabbing her cellphone and marching to a more secluded area. She has to look up the phone number online from a website that looked made in the 90's. The phone rings twice before a woman answers.

"Lloyd Protection Agency, let us be your shield. How can I help you?"

"Hi. My name is Hope Solo..."

"S-o-l-o?" Across the phone she can hear the clattering of keyboard keys. "Hmm, I don't have you as one of our clients."

"My manager, Matthew Fundis was the one who requested the contract. F-u-n-d-i-s."

"Ah! Here we go! Yes, we have you on file as the recipient of protection." Carli announces triumphantly. "Is there anything wrong with your service?" Hope rolls her eyes. Where to even begin?

"I want my service cancelled." A pause follows her bold statement and Hope can practically hear Carli's nails grinding on the desk. Eventually, a overly cautious and composed voice responds.

"My apologies. Is there something wrong with your bodyguard?"

"I don't find her...adequate." Diplomacy is the name of the game and Hope does her best not to offend a service that dealt with potentially dangerous human beings. Of course if they sent her Kelley, it was hard to imagine that they have a particularly good business.

"I'm sorry, that you find your service inadequate, Ms. Solo. Has your bodyguard violated any of our policies?" Hope clenches her jaw. She does not like where this was going.

"No, I just want my contract cancelled."

"I'm really sorry, Ms. Solo. We don't have the authority to do that for you. Your manager was the one who signed the contract and we cannot cancel the service without his authorization."

"You can't be serious." Hope slams her open palm against one of the guard rails surrounding the bleachers. Out of the corner of her eye she sees her coach motion for all of them to regroup. “Look, there’s clearly been a mistake.”

“No mistake, we sent you the best.” Carli replies. “If you want to cancel this contract, you’ll have to get the person who signed it initially, in this case, your manager. If you want, you can open a new one if you really find this one inadequate.” Hope rubs her temples angrily. If this girl was their best, she would hate to see their worst.

“No, I’ll call my manager, thank you.”

“Any time, and remember Lloyd Protection Agency strives to serve and protect to the best of our abilities.” The line goes dead and Hope fees the urge to slam her phone down on the ground. She refrains, her teammates were watching and she doesn’t want to give them any more reason to think she has anger issues.

“Hey princess, if you’re done with your personal calls?” Her coach chides. She grits her teeth, knowing that at least a handful of her teammates are snickering. This has not been a good day at all.

*

"Hope doesn't have too many friends. Not since the controversy started. She speaks her mind, for better or worse." It was the first Kelley heard why Hope needed a bodyguard. Amy spoke at length about how Hope had offended Brandi, and how some crazed fan had taken it upon himself to exact revenge for Brandi’s slandered reputation. She quietly absorbs all Amy has to say about Hope, and how isolated Hope is. Her position on the field seems so much more appropriate, and so much sadder. When her team scores, everyone but Hope goes to hug the striker who headed the ball in, but Hope just hangs back and smiles across the broad expanse of empty field in front of her.

In that moment Kelley decided she would not only be Hope's bodyguard, but her friend as well.

"Balloons." She said aloud. Amy stared at her warily. "Yes." She quickly pulled out her cellphone and called a contact she knew would help her.

"Hi. Hi Ash? I need a favor. I need you to get balloons! What? Of course it has to do with a contract. Yes. It's a matter of the client's wellbeing. Hey remember that time I covered for you when you had sex in Carli Lloyd's office? See you tonight."


End file.
